Air scoop



March 29, 1949. w JOHNSON 2,465,728

AAAAAA 01 Filed Aug. 16, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet l jzaezzfi ji lwkfmnsam q, wwe ww W. JOHNSON 5 Sheets-$heet 2 AIR SCOOP vwi Nu WM Filed Aug. 16, 194

F. W. JOHNSON AIR SCOOP 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. 16, 1944 Patented Mar. 29, 1949 AIR SCOOP Fred W. Johnson, San Diego, Calif., assignor to Consolidated Vultee Aircraft Corporation, San Diego, Calif., a corporation of Delaware Application August 16, 1944, Serial No. 549,646

8 Claims.

The present invention relates generally to air scoops. More particularly the invention relates to that type of air scoop which is employed or used in connection with an airplane or like vehicle and serves as a medium or instrumentality for directing outside air to a point of use, such, for example, as the fuselage interior.

In practice it has been found that an air scoop of this type fulfills its intended purpose when normal atmospheric conditions are encountered. However, when so-called icing conditions are encountered ice is formed or deposited within the scoop and as a result the scoop either clogs completely or its efficiency is materially curtailed.

One object of the invention is to provide an airplane air scoop which is more efficient than, and eliminates the defections of, previously designed air scoops by reason of the fact that it includes simple and novel means for preventing the deposit or accumulation of ice therein when icing atmospheric conditions are encountered.

Another object of the invention is to provide an air scoop of the last mentioned character in which the means for preventing the deposit or accumulation of ice comprises a jacket which extends around the scoop and is connected to receive engine created exhaust gases for heating purposes.

A further object of the invention is to provide an air scoop of the type and character under consideration in which the jacket has the rear portion thereof connected to receive the exhaust gases and embodies at its front end a rearwardly facing outlet which in connection with propulsion of the airplane with which the scoop is used results in the exhaust gases after passing through the jacket being discharged by aspiration.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an airplane air scoop which is generally of new and improved construction, may be manufactured at a low and reasonable cost and is characterized by simplicity of design and high efiiciency.

Other objects of the invention and the various advantages and characteristics of the present airplane air scoop will be apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description.

The invention consists in the several novel features which are hereinafter set forth and are more particularly defined by claims at the conclusion hereof.

In the drawings which accompany and form a part of this specification or disclosure and in which like letters and numerals of reference denote corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective of a multi engine airplane having applied thereto an air scoop embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a horizontal section of the air scoop illustrating in detail the manner in which the scoop is arranged and connected to direct outside air into the interior of the airplane fuselage and also illustrating in detail the manner in which the engine created exhaust gases flow forwards through the jacket around the scoop and then are discharged outwards and rearwards of the mouth or open front of the scoop by aspiration;

Figure 3 is an outer side view of the scoop;

Figure 4 is an enlarged horizontal section of the scoop showing in detail the construction, arrangement and design of the component parts thereof;

Figure 5 is an enlarged inner side view of the scoop;

Figure 6 is an enlarged front view of the scoop; and

Figure '7 is a vertical transverse section on the line 'I-l of Figure 4.

The scoop which is shown in the drawings constitutes the preferred form or embodiment of the invention. It is adapted for use in connection with an airplane A and serves to direct outside air to any desired point of use. The airplane A comprises a fuselage a and a pair of outboard wing sections a at opposite sides of the fuselage. It is illustrated as being of the multi engine variety, although it is to be understood that the improved scoop is designed or adapted for use with other types of airplanes as well as like vehicles. The engines for the airplane are mounted on the leading portions of the outboard wing sections and serve, as well understood in the art, to drive propellers o The fuselage a. of the airplane A embodies a pilot compartment (1 at the nose or front end thereof, has a passenger or cargo compartment afi behind the pilots compartment, and comprises a suitable frame structure having an exterior skin 11 The scoop is illustrated as forming a medium or instrumentality for directing outside air into the compartment a It is mounted on one side of the airplane fuselage a in front of the adjacent outboard wing section a and comprises as parts thereof an inner scoop forming wall 8, an outer jacket forming wall 9, a flat crescent shaped wall ID, and a substantially semi-circular deflector or hood forming wall ll. Such walls are in the form of 3 sheet metal stampings and are of such thickness that they normally retain their shape or contour.

The inner scoop forming wall 8 is horizontally elongated, as best shown in Figures 4 and 5, and is so stamped or shaped that it is outwardly bulged to such an extent that it is substantially semi-circular in cross section. It is rearwardly tapered and has the front end thereof and its inner side open. The upper, lower and rear portions of its edges are coplanar and fit flatly against the skin a of the airplane fuselage a. The front edge portion of the inner scoop forming wall 8 is bent outwards as at l2 so that it is quarter round in cross section. When the airplane is in flight outside air enters the interior of the outwardly bulged inner scoop forming wall 8 via the open front end of such wall and is then delivered into the compartment (1 in the airplane fuselage a by way of a duct 13. This duct is disposed interiorly of the fuselage and has the central or intermediate portion thereof disposed adjacent and in parallel relation with the fuselage frame. The front end of the duct extends outwards and is in registry with an opening a in the skin a of the fuselage. As shown in Figure 2, the opening a is in registry and communication with the front inner portion of the interior of the wall 8. The other or rear end of the duct i3 extends inwards and is arranged to discharge into the compartment a the outside air which is scooped or caught by the inner scoop forming wall 8. The outside air in transit to the compartment a via the duct I3 is heated by way of a heater unit [4. The latter is in the form of a casing comprising a continuous side wall [5 and a pair of end walls E6. The continuous side wall l5 surrounds and is spaced from the central or intermediate portion of the duct i3, as shown in Figure 2, and has the ends thereof closed by the end walls It. The latter have aligned openings 11 through which the central or intermediate portion of the duct 13 extends. Exhaust gases from the propeller driving engine that is adjacent the air scoop are delivered into the interior of the heater unit It by way of a branch exhaust pipe I8. One end of this branch exhaust pipe is connected to the main exhaust pipe for said engine that is adjacent the scoop and the other end of the branch exhaust pipe is connected to the continuous side wall l5 of the heater unit 14. When the airplane is in operation exhaust gases flow through the branch exhaust pipe I? into the heater unit i4 and serve to heat the outside air as it flows through the central or intermediate portion of the duct l3.

The outer wall 9 of the scoop surrounds and is spaced outwards from the inner wall 8 and defines therewith a jacket l9. It is shaped substantially conformably to, but is larger in size than, the inner wall and, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, is horizontally elongated and outwardly bulged. The rear portion of the outer wall 9 is tapered and is disposed an appreciable distance behind the rear end of the scoop forming wall 8. The upper, rear and lower marginal portions of the outer jacket forming wall 9 are shaped to form a flat outwardly extending U-shaped flange 20. This flange is in coplanar relation with the upper, rear and lower edge portions of the inner scoop forming wall 8 and fits flatly against the skin a of the airplane fuselage a. It has apertur'es 21 therein for rivets 22. The latter extend through registering apertures a in the skin a of the fuselage and serve rigidly to secure the scoop in its operative position. The front edge'of 4 the outer jacket forming wall 9 is spaced outwards from, and disposed rearwards of, the outwardly bent front edge portion of the inner scoop forming Wall 8.

The fiat screscent shaped wall l0 extends between and serves to hold in spaced relation the inner and outer walls 8 and 9. It is shaped conformably to, and extends across, the crescent shaped space between the upper, rear and lower marginal portions of the inner and outer walls 8 and 9. The outer edge portion of the wall l0 abuts against and is welded or otherwise fixedly secured in sealed relation with the upper, rear and lower marginal portions of the outer jacket forming Wall 9 and the inner edge portion of said wall it abuts against and is welded or otherwise fixedly secured in sealed relation with the upper, rear and lower edge portions of the inner scoop forming wall 8. Exhaust gases are delivered into the rear portion of the jacket l9 from the heater unit M by way of a pipe 23 and a nipple 24. The pipe 23, as shown in Figure 2, is connected to, and extends outwards from, the continuous side wall i5 of the heater unit i4 and is of such length i that the outer end thereof terminates adjacent with the hole defining portion of the wall Hi.

The inner end of the nipple 24 extends through a hole a in the fuselage skin a and fits within the outer end of the pipe 23. When the airplane A is in operation the exhaust gases, after flowing through the heater unit 14, pass into the rear portion of the jacket 19 via the pipe 23 and nipple 24. After passing into the rear portion of the jacket [9 such gases flow forwards and serve so to heat the inner scoop forming wall 8 as to prevent the formation of ice within such wall. As the result of the jacket l9 ice is precluded from froming on the inside as well as the outside of the scoop when the airplane with which the scoop is used encounters so-called icing conditions.

The substantially semi-circular or hood forming wall It surrounds, and is spaced outwards from, the front marginal portion of the outer jacket forming wall 9 and has its ends welded or otherwise fixedly secured to the front ends of the U-shaped flange 20. The front marginal portion of the wall II is bent inwards as at '25 and abuts against and is welded to the outwardly bent front marginal portion of the inner scoop forming wall 8. The wall H forms an arcuate rearwardly facing outlet at the front end of the jacket I9. In connection with flight of the airplane A outside air impinges against and flows rearwardly across the outer surface of the wall ll and produces by aspiration a suction eifect which results in the exhaust gases in the jacket I 9 being drawn forwards through the jacket and then discharged rearwards around the outer surface of the outer jacket'forming wall 3. By employing th wall II which, as heretofore pointed out, stimulates or produces aspiration, flow of exhaust gases through the jacket i9 and then rearward discharge of said gases a highly efficient heating of the inner scoop forming wall 8 is effected and hence any formation of ice within the scoop interior is effectively avoided.

In addition to the parts heretofore described the scoop comprises a pair of inwardly extending tubes 21 for draining the rear portion of the scoop interi'or'of any water or other matter that accumulates therein. These *tub'e'sextend across the rear portion of the jacket 19 and are dis-' posed in parallel relation with the fiat crescent shaped wall Ill. The front ends of the tubes extend through holes in and are welded to the rear portion of the inner Wall 8 and the rear ends of the tubes extend through holes in and are welded to the rear portion of the outer wall 9. In the event that water accumulates in the rear portion of the scoop interior, such as, that which may occur as the result of melting of ice within the scoop by the exhaust gases in transit through the jacket iii, the water, due to the pressure of air that is trapped in the rear portion of the scoop interior, is forced rearwards through the tubes 21 and thus drains from the scoop.

Assuming that the airplane A is in flight the operation of the scoop is as follows:

The outside air that is scooped or caught by the inner scoop forming wall 8 is deflected inwards and flows into the compartment a in the airplane fuselage a via the duct it. As the air travels through the duct it is heated by the engine created exhaust gases that flow through the heater unit I4. Should the airplane encounter icing conditions no ice is formed or deposited within the scoop as the result of the heat which is transmitted to the scoop interior by the forwardly flowing exhaust gases in the jacket iii. As previously pointed out, the outside air that strikes against the substantially semi-circular deflector or hood forming wall H and flows rearwards thereacross produces by aspiration or a so-called jet action a suction effect which directs the exhaust gases forwards through the jacket is and causes them to be discharged rearwards around the outer jacket forming wall 9. Became the exhaust gases, after flowing through the jacket, pass rearwards they can not enter the scoop and contaminate the air in transit to the compartment a via the scoop interior and the duct it.

The herein described air scoop effectively and eficiently fulfills its intended purpose and is characterized by the fact that the jacket with the heated engine created exhaust gases therein precludes the formation of ice within the scoop interior and resultant clogging of the scoop. It is essentially simple in design or construction and hence may be manufactured at a low and reasonable cost. By reason of the fact that heating of the scoop for ice formation eliminating purposes is accomplished by exhaust gases there is no expense whatsoever incident to operation of the scoop.

Whereas the scoop has been described in connection with a conventional or standard airplane it is to be understood that it may be employed in connection with other vehicles of the aircraft variety. It is also to be understood that the invention is not to be restricted to the details set forth since these may be modified within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination with an engine driven aircraft, of a horizontally elongated air scoop mounted on the exterior of the aircraft and having the front portion thereof open to receive outside air, a duct leading laterally from the front portion of the air scoop interior to a point of use and serving during flight of the airplane to conduct outside air to a point of use, means forming about and along the outside of the scoop a horizontally elongated jacket, means for supplying exhaust gases from the engine of the aircraft into the jacket in order to heat the scoop and prevent the accumulation of ice in the interior thereof, and a drain tube leading from the rear portion of the scoop interior through the rear portion of the jacket and serving to drain from said rear portion of the scoop interior any water or other material accumulating therein.

2. The combination with an engine driven aircraft, of a horizontally elongated air scoop mounted on the exterior of the aircraft and having the front portion thereof open to receive outside air, a duct leading from the front portion of the scoop interior to a point of use and serving during flight of the aircraft to conduct outside air to said point of use, means forming about the scoop a jacket having one end thereof open and facing rearwards, means for supplying exhaust gases from the engine of the aircraft into the jacket, and a drain tube extending rearwards from the rear portion of the scoop interior through the rear portion of the jacket and serving to drain from the rear portion of the scoop interior any moisture or other material that accumulates therein.

3. The combination with an engine driven aircraft, of an air scoop mounted on the exterior of the aircraft, adapted during flight of the aircraft to direct outside air to a point of use, and embodying an inner curved scoop forming wall with the front end thereof open, a curved outer wall spaced from the inner wall to form a jacket therebetween and having the front margin thereof positioned outwards of the front margin of the inner wall, and an arcuate deflector forming wall extending around and spaced from the front margin of the outer wall, having its front margin bent inwards and connected to the front margin of the inner wall and forming a rearwardly facing outlet for the jacket, and means for supplying exhaust gases from the engine to the jacket.

4. The combination with an aircraft, of a horizontally elongated, rearwardly tapered air scoop mounted directly against one of the external surfaces of the aircraft, adapted during flight of the aircraft to direct outside air to a point of use, and embodying an inner, outwardly bulged, scoop-forming wall having the front end thereof open and having the upper, rear and lower edges thereof lying in a single plane, an outwardly bulged outer wall extendin about and spaced from the inner wall to form a jacket therebetween and having the upper, rear and lower edges thereof lying in the same plane as, and spaced from the upper, rear and lower edges of the inner wall, and a crescent shaped wall extending between and joined to said upper, rear and lower edges of the inner and outer walls and positioned in abutment with said one external surface of the aircraft, and means for circulating a heating fluid forwards through the jacket in order to heat the scoop and prevent the formation of ice thereon and embodying a fluid inlet adjacent the rear end of the jacket and a rearwardly facing outlet at the front end of said jacket.

5. The combination with an engine driven aircraft, of a horizontally elongated, rearwardly tapered air scoop mounted directly against one of the external surfaces of the aircraft, adapted during flight of the aircraft to direct outside air to a point of use, and embodying an inner, out-- wardly bulged, scoop-forming wall having the front end thereof open and having the upper, rear and lower edges thereof lying in a single plane, an outwardly bulged outer wall extending about and spaced from the inner wall to form a jacket therebetween and having the upper, rear and lower edges thereof lying in the same plane as, and spaced from, the upper, rear and lower edges of the inner wall, and a crescent shaped wall extending between and joined to said upper, rear and lower edges of the inner and outer walls, positioned in abutment with said one external surface of the aircraft, and having an opening therein, means operative to supply exhaust gases from the engine to the jacket in order to heat the scoop and prevent the formation of ice thereon and including a pipe-like element extending outwards through said one external surface of the aircraft and communicating with the jacket by way of the opening in the crescent shaped wall, and means adjacent the front end of the outer wall forming a rearwardly facing opening for exhausting said gases from the jacket to atmosphere.

6. The combination with an engine driven aircraft having a fuselage with a compartment therein, of a horizontally elongated, rearwardly tapered air scoop mounted directly against the outer skin of the fuselage, adapted during flight of the aircraft to receive outside air, and embodying an inner, outwardly bulged, scoop-forming wall having the front end thereof open and having the upper, rear and lower edges thereof lying in a single plane, an outwardly bulged outer wall extending about and spaced from the inner wall to form a jacket therebetween and having the upper, rear and lower edges thereof lying in the same plane as, and spaced from, the upper, rear and lower edges of the inner wall, and a crescent shaped wall extending between and joined to said upper, rear and lower edges of the inner and outer walls, positioned in abutment with said outer skin and having an opening therein, a duct leading from the front portion of the interior of the inner wall through said outer skin to the compartment and adapted to conduct outside air from the scoop to said compartment, means operative to supply exhaust gases from the engine into the jacket in order to heat the scoop and prevent the formation of ice thereon and including a pipe-like element disposed behind the receiving end of the duct, extending outwards through said outer skin and communicating with the jacket by way of said opening in the crescent shaped wall and means adjacent the front end of the outer wall forming a rearwardly facing opening for exhausting said gases from the jacket to atmosphere.

'7. The combination with an aircraft, of a horizontally elongated, rearwardly tapered air scoop mounted directly against one of the external sur faces of the aircraft, adapted during flight of the aircraft to direct outside air to a point of use, and embodying an inner, outwardly bulged, scoop-forming wall having the front end thereof open and having the upper, rear and lower edges thereof lying in a single plane, an outwardly bulged outer wall extending about and spaced from the inner wall to form a jacket therebetween and having the upper, rear and lower edges thereof lying in the same plane as, and spaced from, the upper, rear and lower edges of the inner wall, and a crescent shaped wall extending between and joined to said upper, rear and lower edges of the inner and outer walls and positioned in abutment with said one external surface of the aircraft, means operative to circulate a heating fluid through the jacket in order to heat the scoop and prevent the formation of ice thereon and embodying a fluid inlet at one end of the jacket and a fluid outlet at the other end of said jacket, and a drain tube extending through the rear portions of the inner and outer walls and serving to drain from the rear portion of the interior of the inner wall any moisture or other material that accumulates therein.

8. The combination with an engine driven aircraft, of a horizontally elongated rearwardly tapered air scoop mounted directly against one of the external surfaces of the aircraft, adapted during flight of the aircraft to direct outside air to a point of use, and embodying an inner outwardly bulged scoop-forming wall having the front end thereof open and having the upper, rear and lower edges thereof lying in a single plane, an outwardly bulged outer wall extending about and spaced fro-m the inner wall to form a jacket therebetween, having the front margin thereof positioned outwards of the front margin of the inner wall and having its upper, rear and lower edges lying in the same plane as, and spaced from, the upper, rear and lower edges of the inner wall, a crescent shaped wall extending between and joined to said upper, rear and lower edges of said outer and inner walls, positioned in abutment with said one external surface of the aircraft, and having an opening therein, and an arcuate deflector forming wall extending around and spaced from the front margins of the outer wall, having its inner margin bent inwards and connected to the front margin of the inner wall, and forming a rearwardly facing outlet for the jacket, and means for supplying exhaust gases from the engine of the aircraft to the jacket in order to heat the scoop and prevent the formation of ice thereon, said means including a pipe-like element extending outwards through said one external surface of the aircraft and communicating with the jacket by the way of said opening in the crescent shaped wall.

FRED W. JOHNSON.

REFERENCES GITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 490,960 Gay Jan. 31, 1893 901,075 Darroch Oct. 13, 1908 1,910,705 McKinnon May 23, 1933 1,918,568 Schirmer July 18, 1933 1,922,070 Anderson Aug. 15, 1933 2,026,072 Sunday Dec. 31, 1935 2,179,500 Diehl Nov. 14, 1939 2,240,062 Welch Apr. 29, 1941 2,319,894 Vokes May 25, 1943 2,325,901 Atkinson Aug. 3, 1943 2,341,549 I-Ielmick Feb. 15, 1944 2,362,552 Heymann Nov. 14, 1944 2,370,035 Heymann Feb. 20, 1945 2,417,185 Williams, Jr Mar. 11, 1947 2,443,262 McCollum June 15, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date II-10-324 Sardinia No date 

